1121 108. #21

Q;- Mr Dodson I believe, he moved the gate a little further away from the brink? A;-I couldn't say so. I have been away. Q;-Did you ever hear of an accident which necessitated the gates being placed further back? A;- I dont recall any accident;- I dont know if there has been any accident. A;- You could put gates there that would protect traffic without interfering with navigation? Right at the commencement there is nothing to prevent you doing it? A;-Certainly not, as well as you could on Granville Street. Q;- Is there anything compulsory about it? A;- No; you could put gates on the South Vancouver and the Lulu Island side and make the bridge tender walk over if you wanted to; it is no complusory, but it is not feasible. Q;-Have you any regulations regarding the speed of autos over the bridge? A;- Eight miles an hour. Q;- Have you any signs that indicate that on the approach to the bridges? A;-Yes, we have. Q;-Where do you place the red light? A;-Oh, that all depends, sometimes on both sides, sometimes in the center. Coroner;- This is all the evidence we have to submit, gentlemen of the jury.

             The coroner then addressed the jury, left it in charge of the officer to consider the verdict, which when returned was transferred to the regular Inquisition form, duly signed and the jury dismissed in due form.

Verdict;- "That they met their death on November 11th., 1916 between the hours of six and seven P.M. by drowning, at the North Arc bridge between the boundary of South Vancouver and Mitchell's Island, Richmond Municipality, B.C. through the neglect of Mr George Smith in not taking proper precautions to safe-guard the passengers. We recommend that the gates be removed to a distance of not less than two hundred feet each way from their

BC Archives GR-0431 Box 10 File 4

BRITISH COLUMBIA. ATTORNEY GENERAL. Inquisitions/inquests conducted by coroners in British Columbia.